ANDREW HAYNES

Andrew Haynes is a fifth grader at Blue Lake Elementary School. Since he was enrolled in the first grade, he has been a diligent servant to the elementary school. Most children come to school to go to the morning line up; however, Drew begins his days doing a myriad of duties. He is a “Technology Assistant” and works to set up the LeapFrog and other electronic equipment in various teachers’ classrooms. He also shows some of the teachers how to work certain programs on their computers. He also aids in this aspect in the Media Center and goes into the newsroom to prepare for the Media Center’s morning broadcast where he is the announcer of the school’s news, Splash Live.

Drew has been a participant of the school’s Garden Club for two years and has been a member of Chorus and the Student Council for one year. Last school year, his peers elected him as the Secretary of the Student Council, and he was the first place winner in the school’s Science Fair. Drew is an honor roll student, and he has represented Blue Lake in the Junior Olympics.

Drew has also been trained and serves as a peer mediator to help students resolve conflicts. He cuts out letters and places them on the guidance counselor’s Word-of the-Week bulletin board, which is part of the Character Education program. Annually, the Guidance Department has a “Gift Giving” and food drive. Many faculty and staff members, business partners and some students donate toys to be given to the lower socioeconomic students before the Winter Break. During the last Thanksgiving Break, Drew purchased gifts with his personal allowance to place under the Holiday tree for students in his school. Drew also brings toys and food from home and helps to organize and box the items for the annual food drive.

Drew also serves educators during in-service, pre and post planning times. He organizes materials, sorts, counts, colors, and pastes, creates games, cuts, laminates and delivers materials. He completes these same activities for the after-school tutorial program, the summer Voyager Program and special activities throughout the school year. He also sets up and oversees booths for his class ruing Fall Festivals and organizes materials for the School Store. At the end of the school year, Drew assists with inventories of textbooks and calculators.

Drew also maintains his spiritual service in the Master’s Club and other activities in the Volusia County Baptist Church in Orange County where he is a member. Since his family’s recent move to DeBary, Drew sings to senior citizens in the Nursing Home in DeBary and he is a member of the Awana Club in First Baptist Church in DeBary.

Drew suffers with asthma frequently and has to miss days from school. His mother is a divorced, a single mom, and is raising two children on her own. In spite of all this, Drew makes the time to serve and place others first in his life.